Prosiopesis

Prosiopesis

Prosiopesis (from Classical Greek, προσιωπησις, "becoming silent") is a term coined by Otto Jespersen for pronouncing a word or phrase without vocalizing its initial sounds. One example Jespersen gave is for "Good morning" to be shortened to "Morning". Jesperson introduced the idea in "Language, Its Nature, Development, and Origin" (ASIN B0007DEMMW; 1922); he also discusses it in "The Philosophy of Grammar" (ISBN 0-226-39881-1; reprint 1992). Prosiopesis is studied as a mode for originating interjections, which can shed light on their meaning.

See also aposiopesis.

External links

* [http://webhost.ua.ac.be/tisp/viewabstract.php?id=597 Secondary Interjections in English] , Mayumi Nishikawa of Setsunan University; 9th International Pragmatics Conference, International Pragmatics Association, 2005 (abstract)
* [http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/003162.html Parataxis in Pirahã] , Mark Liberman of the University of Pennsylvania, casual discussion on Language Log


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  • prosiopesis — noun /ˌpɹɒsɪəʊˈpiːsɪs,ˌpɻɑsioʊˈpisɪ̶s/ a) <ref name= OED 1989 /><ref name= OED 2008/06 /> Ellipsis of the beginning of a grammatical construction,<ref name= OED 1989 /><ref name= OED 2008/06 /> common in informal speech… …   Wiktionary

  • prosiopesis — …   Useful english dictionary

  • apheresis — noun a) The removal of blood from a patient in order that certain components (such as platelets) may be removed before transfusion back to the donor. b) The loss of letters or sounds from the beginning of a word, such as the development of from …   Wiktionary

  • prosiopetic — adjective /ˌpɹɒsɪəʊˈpɛtɪk,ˌpɹɒsɪəˈpɛtɪk,ˌpɻɑsioʊˈpɛtɪ̶k/ Of the nature of prosiopesis; compare …   Wiktionary

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